I PETER 4:13 SUFFERING

Q: How would this verse been understood by its original audience?

We must assume that the audience, whether converted Jews and/or Gentiles, would have been well schooled in the Old Testament scriptures. In addition, at this relatively late date, they would be aware of the teachings of Jesus, whether by oral transmission or written Gospels. Also, by the time of writing of this letter, Paul's letters were widely circulating among the churches in the Roman world, especially his earlier epistles. Therefore the concepts in I Peter 4:13 would probably have been familiar to them already from one or all of these sources.

Two typical references to the fact that the OT predicted Christ's suffering before he could be revealed in his full glory are found in Luke 24:26 and I Peter 1:10-11. In both cases, it is probably the “Suffering Servant” passages in Isaiah that are being alluded to.

The coupling of earthly suffering with earthly joy and eventual glorification is found in the Beatitudes, such as: “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you...on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 11-12)

From Paul's letters, the audience would have understood:

“...we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:17

We should rejoice in suffering. II Corinthians 8:2; Colossians 1:24

If we share in Christ's suffering, we will also share in His resurrection. Philippians 3:10

“If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.” II Timothy 2:11-12

This last reference is especially interesting since most scholars feel that Paul is quoting an even earlier hymn composed and widely sung by Christians of the time.

Some of the concepts in I Peter 4:13 are also found in Hebrews 10:32-37 and 13:13-14, written about the same time. These clearly present the idea that present suffering with Christ will lead, when Christ comes again, to a future possession in heaven. The ideas are presented by the author without much explanation as if the audience should already be familiar with them.

Even if Peter's audience was somehow totally unaware of all these other teachings, Peter hammers in the same points found in 4:13 throughout his epistle to make them clear. Thus, this one verse would not have been understood in isolation from the rest of the letter. From other passages we are told that Jesus will bring grace when he is revealed (i.e., at the Second Coming) (1:13); suffering results in praise and glory and honor when Jesus is revealed in the Last Time (1:3-7); Christ's suffering and glory are coupled (5:1), and when the Shepherd appears, believers will win the crown of glory (5:4).

In conclusion, I think the audience would have understood clearly that present suffering for the cause of Christ can be endured joyfully in the here and now because (1) it demonstrates our unity with Christ and the prophets who were reviled and (2) it will lead eventually to our glorification when Christ comes again, whether we are alive or dead when it happens.